Foreigner
by CadenceofRain
Summary: Fleur de Lis will be spending the holiday alone, or so she thinks. Fate, of course, has other plans.


_For Lissy_

"_Aaaaaaaaaaaaand _that's a wrap! Pack it in, gorgeous. We're done for the day."

The pale unicorn let out the breath she was subconsciously holding while frozen in a complicated pose, happy to finally be allowed to let her muscles relax. It had been a long, tiring day of photo shoots, confusion, and demands, as well as the last assignment for both the week and year. With Hearth's Warming fast approaching, everypony could finally stop worrying about work and simply relax with friends and family.

A curtain of soft pink hair floated into Fleur's vision as she let her head droop, rolling her neck to let out the kinks. The nature of her job required long hours and the endurance to stand like a statue for far longer than could be considered healthy. With all of that coupled with her nausea from barely eating, the language barrier, and her demanding client for this particular job, Fleur de Lis found herself absolutely exhausted and thankful for her work to be over.

A sudden motion caused Fleur to tense again immediately and pull her face back with a sharp gasp as she found a hoof waving entirely too close for comfort.

"You did great, honey. Do you understand? Excellent job today," the young stallion, her photographer, said in a patronizing, slow voice as he continued to make motions with his hoof. "You'll get the hang of all of this soon, I'm sure."

Fleur furrowed her brow in response and offered a tiny pout accompanied by a nod. His words were crystal clear, but in her opinion, the plodding pace at which he delivered them was quite frankly insulting.

"Thank you, Shutterbug. So, we are off until the fourth of next month?" she replied, her accent thick and tinged with curiosity.

"That we are, madame. See you then!" And with a tiny wave, the smaller stallion left the studio in a hurry.

Hooves resounded through the empty room as Fleur walked over to the costume rack, working quickly to shed the ridiculous headgear and outfit she had been stuffed into. After so many repetitions despite her brief time in Canterlot, every day began to seem the same. Show up, get talked to like a toddler, dress up, pose, move, pose, change, pose, good job, dress down, sleep, repeat. Though she loved her job, what, exactly, was Fleur living for anymore?

A gentle, white hoof trailed over the surface of the mannequin before its owner as she lightly wrapped her garments around the plastic pony. The faceless, featureless creature stood stock still, silently posing and serving its purpose. What made Fleur any different? Why even bother opening her mouth anymore?

The answer came to her almost immediately, stirring up a slight feeling of guilt chased quickly by the tiniest of smiles. Fancy Pants. Her manager, her translator, her friend, and on cold nights, perhaps something more. When words failed her, she spoke with her body, and Fleur was _very_ thankful for his help. Seeing Fancy at the end of the day made all of her hard work and being jerked around well worth the effort, and on the occasion he could find the time to watch her on the runway, doubly so. There was only one problem… the night was indeed very cold, and she longed to give him a present for the coming holiday, but the stallion wasn't there.

"_I'm sorry, my dear, but I simply cannot miss this trip. The opportunity is too good, and you must understand; I'm a stallion of business."_

"_But-"_

"_No, Fleur, I cannot afford to reschedule. Mr. Bouchard is a very… err… __**demanding**__ client, and this could provide you with an important opportunity as well. I'm doing this for you just as much as I'm doing it for me."_

_Fleur's face fell as she furrowed her brows, trying desperately to articulate what she was feeling. Fancy's words were true, but that didn't make them any less upsetting. She wanted to go with him, to support him, but she knew that this was something that would be made easier without a bumbling foreigner making everything awkward._

"…_I understand, Monsieur Fancy. I will err… make it through the holidays, and await your safe return."_

_The stallion gave her an encouraging smile and adjusted his monocle with a small nod. "I have faith that you will, Miss de Lis. I shan't be long, but a week and a half at most. I know I'll miss Hearth's Warming, but we'll make up for it, yes?"_

"_Oui. Safest journey."_

_Fleur smiled and blushed as she was pulled into a tight hug, happy that she hadn't needed to initiate the contact. Such things were a nerve-wracking affair, considering the life she left behind in Prance, but the rules in Canterlot were different. They were nicer, more accepting, and gentler to her heart and mind. But what would happen when her safety net was moved from under her?_

Fleur moved swiftly to the closet, wincing as the creaky door forced a large squeak through the empty room. She quickly stepped into her avant-garde snow boots and hurried to shuffle into her light pink fuzzy jacket. With a pink and purple scarf for accent draped lightly around her neck, the mare was ready to step outside and brave the infamous cold of a Canterlot Winter. With one final look over her shoulder at the abandoned mannequin, Fleur stepped out the door and into the snow.

* * *

The spires of Canterlot shined brighter than usual against the midday sun, the flaky snow clinging to their curves acting almost as a mirror for the warm rays to all who passed on the streets below. Though always a busy city, Canterlot during the holiday season could be likened to a gigantic mall, with ponies and their foals running about through the streets and shops at harrowing speeds.

Fleur walked quickly and quietly along the sidewalk, one of the few ponies to find herself alone for the holidays. The close proximity of those around her brought about a tiny feeling of paranoia, and she nearly jumped out of her fur as a couple stopped to ask her for directions. Fortunately, their destination was one of the few that Fleur knew well, and she directed them with a slight stutter and a shaky hoof. After the quick encounter, she picked up her speed, praying to avoid any more unnecessary contact with ponies she didn't know.

Naturally, such prayers often go unanswered, and as Fleur rounded the next corner, all hopes for a quiet day were obliterated. Cacophonous shouts echoed off the nearby buildings, their volume almost deafening as they reached the poor mare's ears. She quickly reached into her coat pocket and withdrew a pair of stylish earmuffs, but her efforts did little to drown out the noise. With intentions to escape the madness as quickly as possible, Fleur skirted around the edges of the crowd while keeping her head down. The last thing the aspiring model needed was to be recognized, and this wouldn't be the first time.

Fleur used her slender frame to her advantage as she slipped between walking ponies, seeing every break within the crowd as an opportunity to take another step toward freedom. A small, warm studio apartment awaited her, and she wished for nothing more than a glass of wine and a warm robe. What she received instead was a harsh bump from a passing stallion, and the last words she wanted to hear that afternoon.

"…are you… _Fleur de Lis? The model?_"

Several hearts, including Fleur's, skipped a beat as all of the shouting voices but a particularly loud one at the center of the crowd quickly died down to silence. The familiar feeling of being under a microscope washed over her, and the tingling of pins and needles rushed through her limbs. If this became a massive rush as it usually did, getting home would remain little more than a fleeting dream.

Without a second thought she began to run, chancing a look behind her to find that one, deep blue figure at the center of the crowd still shouting, but now in her direction rather than all around. Several ponies gave chase as she slipped through an alleyway, hoping to lose her numerous fans and simply pleading to be left alone. Autograph signing, awkward, broken talks, and public attention in a face-to-face setting all proved to be too much for Fleur so early in her transition from Prance. Being seen in such widespread magazines was already a bit of a shock, but this? This was something that went beyond simple discomfort.

Small puffs of steam escaped her lips as she ran along, back onto the main street with a decent number of ponies pursuing. Buildings, signs, and ponies flitted past Fleur's vision as she did her best to escape, but the notion that none of her surroundings looked familiar unsettled her. In her hurry to escape, she had fled into a part of town which she wasn't yet acquainted with, and she let out a whimper of frustration and panic. The whimper quickly turned into a fully-fledged scream as a cerulean light surrounded her, and suddenly, she was gone.

* * *

Momentary blackness clouded her vision as Fleur's stomach lurched, and she felt as though her body had been flung into a wall with her organs following a half-second behind. Her scream was quickly silenced as her vision returned, only to find herself staring at an azure hoof clamped tightly over her mouth.

"Hush, child, or they will notice you."

Fleur closed her eyes and made a small noise, trying to collect herself and calm her breathing before turning her head to face the speaker. Before her stood another pinnacle of beauty; the alicorn of night, Princess Luna. The taller pony looked down with a stern expression, her chin up as she regarded Fleur with a steely gaze.

"Shh."

With a simple motion of her hoof, the princess pointed down and off to the side, and Fleur's eyes followed. Her legs turned to jelly as she found herself looking over the edge of a high rooftop, down at the streets below. A crowd of ponies walked in circles, looking for something- presumably, her. Fleur shivered as she looked back to the princess, whose expression had changed to something far softer.

"You seemed to be in distress. Was I mistaken?"

Fleur's violet eyes widened as she quickly remembered who stood before her, and she dipped into a quick bow, keeping her gaze upon the shingles below as she tried to find her words.

"N-no, your majesty. I-I… I am… err… _chased_ by the public, on occasion. I just wish to be at home. Alone."

"Alone? Please rise- I am told I come off as demanding enough without needing to make actual demands as it is," the alicorn replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Yes, I… I live alone." Fleur slowly rose to stand, snowflakes clinging to the edges of her soft pink mane as it fell back into place. "I… thank you for your helping, Princess. I should go…"

"Nopony should be alone for the holidays, or so I am told." Luna stepped forward as Fleur involuntarily shrunk back, a hoof tucked beneath herself in preparation to flee. "Your accent is… unfamiliar to me. May I ask where you hail from?"

Fleur blinked, confused by the sudden interest. "I… Prance. I am from Prance. I moved here two months ago, your highness."

"Well, your modern Equestrian is very good. Better than mine, on some days…" the princess mused. "Walk with me, my child?"

Fleur nodded and tensed as she found a heavy blue wing being wrapped around her shoulder. The warmth from the plumage somewhat surprised her as she walked side by side with savior. Thoughts in her native language swam through her mind as she tried to guess the princess' intent, but was unable to come up with anything. The pair walked in silence for several minutes, minding their steps across the rooftops.

"You are very quiet. I think I prefer it that way."

The fashionista looked up at her partner with a questioning gaze, unsure if she would be allowed to speak without prompting- and she had no problem with such a rule.

"So many of my subjects simply will not, for lack of a better term, shut up. Constant questions I know not the answer to, nor would I be inclined to address if I knew. What is your name? I assume you must know mine."

"Fleur. The model. Err… Fleur de Lis," she stammered.

"Well, Fleur the model, how are you enjoying your stay in Canterlot thus far?"

"It is… rather well. I am trying to learn your customs and adapt, but fame is not always kind."

The alicorn shook her head with a knowing grimace. "No, I am afraid it is not. I will never understand why so many ponies cannot see that I am uncomfortable with their questions. I have not lived here long, either, and I understand your pain. Watch the gap."

Fleur considered the words, focusing upon their possible connection as she stumbled carelessly over a small separation between rooftops. Luna's horn glowed to help right the mare, and she gave a thankful nod in return.

"My sister is much more of a socialite, but I have this strange feeling such a thing does not interest you. Do you have plans for the holidays?"

"No, your grace. I only wish to wait out the festivities and look forward to the new year."

Though Luna personally agreed, she seemed a bit shocked. "Wait out? That simply will not do. Why don't you come to the castle tomorrow night? My sister and I are hosting a feast, and I can put you on the house list… as a friend. Much better than staying at home alone, is it not?"

For a moment, the smaller mare paused, considering her options. Fancy always had spurred her to get out and socialize, and having a _friend_ would certainly be nice. Not to mention, refusing a suggestion from a princess just wouldn't do at all…

"I would like this, I think. I will be sure to arrive, dressed in my best," she said with a smile.

"Excellent. I will look forward to having you join us. Perhaps we could understand each other, all things considered…"

"How do you mean? Do you have trouble speaking, as well?" Fleur replied with a tilt of her head. The intonation of Luna's voice seemed odd and forced, even to her.

Luna smiled bashfully and gave her friend a squeeze with her wing. "Somewhat. My time away caused me to develop a disconnect with my own people, Fleur. Their speech, their habits… I sometimes feel like an outsider within my own lands. It isn't pleasant."

The obvious soon clicked within Fleur's mind, and she pushed herself to speak up. "…then you must try to embrace the new, rather than run away. If not, you will shut down."

"And have you shut down, child? You did an awful lot of running just now."

The slightest tint of rose painted Fleur's cheeks, almost matching her mane. "…perhaps. I promise to stay tomorrow. My apartment is here," she said, as she pointed a hoof down at a familiar building.

"I see… and mine is there," the princess joked, while pointing a hoof toward the castle. Fleur couldn't help but smile a bit in response.

"Thank you, Princess, for the warmth, and advice, and err… the inviting." Fleur stepped out from under the wing and nodded. "I will see you tomorrow, and… your nights are most beautiful."

Luna offered a laugh, her eyes upon the stars. "Thank you for noticing. I most certainly try."

"Can you… uh…" Fleur stalled and gestured outward with her hoof, finding that she did not know the word "…'poof' me?"

"…you wish for me to poof you?"

"…I would like a poofing."

"Where?"

"…to the ground?"

Luna couldn't help but laugh again as she reached an understanding of the strange request. "Yes, child, I can poof you."

Fleur braced herself as the familiar blue smoke snaked around her, embracing the blackness before finding herself safely back upon the ground. She waved up to the rooftop, where Luna returned the gesture.

"See you tomorrow, princess!"

As Fleur swiped her keycard and stepped inside the building, she began to mull over her situation in Canterlot. She certainly found herself feeling less like a mannequin, frozen and alone, when even a random stranger would be willing to offer a comforting wing. Perhaps her paranoia and hesitance was misguided, and the city could indeed become her new home.

The shivering mare worked her way up the staircase and into her small studio, immediately heading for her fluffy robe as she shed her damp outerwear. The sensation of the material against her fur echoed of a familiar feeling, and Fleur bundled herself up on the couch with a bottle of wine to reflect upon the day. Just as she began to pour, a silver sliver was reflected within the colored glass, and she looked up to watch as the moon began to rise. Fleur simply sat in silence, sipping as small pinpricks of light began to pop into existence against the blackened backdrop of early evening.

While the night progressed onward and Fleur's eyelids began to droop, a certain warmth passed over her. Fancy wouldn't be gone for too long, after all, and she was a strong, independent mare who could get by with what she had while she waited for his return. She pulled the robe tighter with a tiny yawn as the wine glass in her hoof floated lightly to the coffee table, and she curled up with her favorite pillow. As sleep overtook her while she watched the moon with half-lidded eyes, another wave of warmth washed through her body. The suspended, glowing orb reminded her that in some ways, she wasn't alone after all.

* * *

**Author's Note: **You could almost say Fleur is no longer _Cold as Ice_, despite being a _Foreigner_.

…I am so ashamed of myself right now.

Anyhow, _Pie & Pegasi _will resume soon, but I had to write this first for a close friend. It may be fanservicey as hell, but I really don't care. Merry Christmas, Lissy!

-SoundofRainfall


End file.
